Delusional and Dangerous
by moonjat54
Summary: Danny Williams: "I believe your past is presently trying to become part of your future. This is not a good thing Steven."
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I am grateful that those who do don't seem to mind if I play with their characters for my own pleasure.**

**Hi, I'm back. I enjoyed reading Ircam's story "Obsession" and that got my muse thinking. I will admit to my own obsession with Steve McGarrett so it was not a stretch to imagine our SEAL might have a woman or two in his past who might choose to seek him out now. I refuse to believe Catherine is the only woman from his past so here is my take on a possible situation when Steve's past comes to visit.**

Delusional and Dangerous

Chapter 1

It was a late Tuesday afternoon and Steve McGarrett was hurrying to finish some necessary paperwork. Chin and Kono had finished up for the day but Steve knew that Danny was still in his office, stuck with similar business. Frowning down at the stack of paper that Steve felt was the worst part of his job, he was startled when there was a knock at the door.

Looking up, Steve's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the woman on the other side of the glass door, smiling at him. It had been about five years since he had lost seen Veronica Langston but she was not a woman that men easily forgot. Rising to his feet he motioned for her to enter the room, unable to ignore the memories that rushed through him at the sight of her. She was still beautiful.

Veronica was an athletically fit 5' 7" woman who strode into his office with confidence. Dressed in leg hugging tan Capri pants with a colorful, flowing tank top, her honey blonde hair tumbled around her shoulders and her smoky blue eyes sparkling in delight.

"Well, well…Lt. Commander Steven J McGarrett, head of Hawaii's special task force, why am I not surprised?" Veronica said stopping several steps inside the room. Her voice was low and husky and she held her arms out to invite him in for a hug. Steve came forward to give a quick, friendly hug but Veronica held on for a few more beats longer than normal. "Oh Steve, the years have been good to you, still handsome as I remember," she said when she finally let go.

"You look good too Veronica. It's been a long time, are you still with the Agency?" he asked, referring to her employment with the CIA.

"Yes, but I'm taking a much needed vacation," she laughed lightly. "I remembered your description of these lovely islands and decided to visit. Can you believe that I've never been to Hawaii before?" Veronica gushed. "I was thinking of our time in Istanbul and decided I should look you up."

Steve frowned feeling slightly uncomfortable with the mention of that time they had spent together so long ago. They had shared one heated night in the aftermath of an intense, dangerous mission and Steve had filed the memory away in the back of his mind. Veronica had kissed him goodbye the next morning, wished him safe missions and left with her partner while he had rejoined his SEAL team, figuring that was the end of things.

"Uh….how long have you been on Oahu?" he asked feeling awkward but snapping his attention back to the moment.

"I arrived two days ago," Veronica replied easily as she moved around the room, examining the personal items on display. "I heard you were here and decided to take a chance and look you up. I thought it might be nice to have dinner and catch up on things. Maybe you could suggest some sights that I should not miss while here in paradise," she explained.

"Sure," Steve agreed in surprise. "Dinner would be nice."

"That's great, how about in an hour and a half?" Veronica said whirling around to face him. "I'm staying at the Hilton, room 905," she added.

"All right, I'll pick you up in an hour and a half," Steve nodded.

"I'll look forward to it," Veronica stated with pleasure. Her gaze again swept the room and then looked at Steve thoughtfully. "This office suits you Steve. I am happy to see you have done so well. Dinner should be fun, I can't wait to hear all about this new step in your life," Veronica added and quickly left the room.

Standing in the middle of the room, Steve ran a hand over his face, not sure what to make of his surprise visitor. As he tried to sort out if this was just as harmless as it appeared, Danny burst into his office, curiosity written all over his face.

"Who was that?" he demanded.

"That was Veronica Langston," Steve replied quietly.

"And just how does Veronica Langston fit into the life of Steve McGarrett?" Danny continued to probe. "And don't tell me it's classified."

"It is….sort of," McGarrett replied with a wry smile. "Veronica is CIA. My team pulled her and her partner out of a mess about five years ago."

"And…." Danny prompted.

"And that is it," Steve said avoiding Danny's eyes.

"Oh no it's not," his partner declared. "Something went down between the two of you. I know your guilty face. What happened with you and the blonde beauty?"

"We had a night! One night Danny!" Steve said in frustration. "Nothing more."

"So….does Catherine know about her?" Danny asked.

"Catherine and I were not exclusive at that time. Veronica and I were caught up in the heat of the moment after a difficult mission. We went our separate ways the next morning, no strings attached."

"Was this Strawberry Fields?" Danny couldn't resist asking.

"No," Steve said sharply, glaring at him.

"Okay…..okay," Danny said backing off the subject. "So is this a problem…Veronica showing up?"

"I don't know," Steve sighed. "She wants to have dinner tonight, catch up on things. I guess I will find out."

"Playing with fire, are we?"

"It is just dinner Danny," Steve grumbled.

"Well you know my number if you need rescuing," Danny said lightly.

"Thanks but I think that I can handle it," Steve replied with a slight grin.

"I will expect details in the morning," Danny informed him, rubbing his hands together. He backed quickly towards the door as McGarrett took a half-hearted swipe at him and missed.

"Go home Danno," he laughed and waved Danny away.

"Be good," Danny instructed and left the office.

Steve nodded as he again rubbed his hand over his face and returned to his desk to finish the paperwork. Seeing Veronica again had unsettled him and while he wasn't ashamed of the one night they shared, Danny's mention of Catherine nagged at him. He and Catherine had not been exclusive in their dating back then but now he felt they had a special relationship and he had no desire to get involved with another woman. Especially not one who was an agent of the CIA.

Shaking his head he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and looked at the report before him. Perhaps he was worried for no good reason. It was possible that Veronica really did only want to have a pleasant evening and get some suggestions for places to visit on the island. And he could provide her with that he thought as he took a sheet of paper and jotted down some ideas. It was entirely possible he was letting all the secrets in his life color every minor happening and there was no reason to suspect that Veronica had a hidden agenda.

*H 5-0*

Exactly an hour and a half later, Steve entered the lobby of the Hilton and was surprised to find Veronica waiting there for him. She had changed into a simple blue sundress that showed off her curves and she smiled warmly when he approached.

"Hi, I knew you would be punctual so I thought I would save you a trip up to my room," she said casually. "Shall we eat here or do you have another restaurant in mind?"

"Here is fine," Steve nodded. He had not really thought about where to take her. This would make things easier.

"Great, I checked and there's a table available. They can seat us now," she answered and slipped her arm through his, guiding him towards the restaurant.

After being seated and giving their drink order, Veronica leaned back in her chair and again flashed her brilliant smile.

"Your island is really beautiful Steve. I've been to the Arizona memorial and toured the USS Missouri but otherwise I haven't made it further than the beach. I'm sure you have other places you recommend that I should see," she began the conversation.

"There are lots of places, depending on your interests," Steve answered. "The hotel has some very nice tour packages if you like. Otherwise I've made a list of some of my favorite places to see," he added taking a folded sheet of paper from his pocket. Sliding it across the table, he was not prepared for how Veronica's fingers caressed his as she took the paper from him.

"This is wonderful," she said as she scanned the list, acting as if nothing had happened. "You wouldn't like to be my private tour guide, would you?" she teased.

"I'm afraid I can't, I have a job that takes my time," Steve declined.

"I'm sure that it is very demanding," Veronica nodded. "How does it feel to be out of the Navy? I'm sure that it is very different than the SEALs and I understand Governor Denning has no clue how a task force should be run. I hear that he loves to tie things down with rules and regulations. In spite of her questionable connections at least Gov. Jameson knew she needed to give you means and immunity to do your job. I am so glad that you were cleared of her murder," she added earnestly.

"Excuse me?" Steve said in shock. "How do you know all this?"

"It's my job to know things. You made the news last year Steve. I know that Jameson was working with Wo Fat and I read about your trouble in North Korea recently," she replied.

"Why would you know about North Korea Veronica?" Steve demanded tensely.

Veronica looked around them quickly and waited while the waitress delivered their drinks and left. She looked at Steve seriously, her dark blue eyes concerned.

"Steve…..I knew Jenna Kaye."

End chapter.

**So, please let me know what you think. My muse helped me get this story completely written before I published this so I should be able to publish once a week. Thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. But I think that writing about it helps get through the summer.**

**Thanks for the lovely response to this story idea. I am going to try and post every Monday for as long as this short story goes.**

Chapter 2

Steve could not prevent the shock that spread over his face at her announcement. This was not the confession he expected to hear.

"You knew Jenna?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes and she contacted me the month before she died," Veronica admitted. Immediately she noticed the pained look that flashed in Steve's eyes. "She never told me she was in Hawaii and she NEVER mentioned you. All she talked about was Josh and finding him. I had known Josh, we had worked together once. She was trying to confirm that he was in Korea but I couldn't help her," she tried to explain.

"Did she mention Wo Fat?" he asked his voice tight with emotion.

"No, I only learned about him after the Korean mess was over. I am so sorry that Jenna did that to you. I t was a horrible betrayal," she sympathized.

Steve shifted his gaze from her and concentrated on taking a drink of his beer. He swallowed and schooled his features into a neutral expression before looking at her again.

"Yea…well that is over. Jenna paid for her mistake with her life," he said coolly.

"I'm just glad you are okay," Veronica stated. She picked up her menu and looked at Steve over the edge of it. "Now…..what do you recommend that I order? I haven't dined here in the hotel yet," she asked, changing the subject.

Grateful for the switch in direction, Steve gave his suggestions and let Veronica steer the conversation to safer topics. As they ate she entertained him with some of her past travels, all without revealing the missions that had sent her around the world. Finally she turned the conversation to 5-0 and how he had chosen his team. Steve found it easy to relax when discussing his ohana and he began to enjoy the visit.

Taking a sip of her second glass of wine, she looked at Steve and smiled.

"It sounds like 5-0 is a good fit for you Steve."

"I work with good people," Steve replied. "We make a good team."

"And what about your off-duty life Steve? Is there a special lady waiting for you at home?" she inquired coyly. "A handsome guy like you certainly can't be living like a monk."

"I…uh…..there is someone," Steve admitted, again being caught by surprise.

"I was sure there must be. Most likely a career Navy person like you would have been had 5-0 not come along," Veronica laughed lightly. "She's lucky, I remember what a special man you are," she added meaningfully.

A small sigh escaped Steve.

"That was a long time ago Veronica," he said simply.

"Of course it was Steve. All I am saying is she must be a unique woman and you deserve that," she quickly explained, taking another sip of wine. "I didn't mean to embarrass you but I do have fond memories of that night and I'm not ashamed of it."

"Okay," Steve said uneasily, unsure of what she was leading up to. "What about you, is there a man in your life?"

"Not presently. There was someone but you must understand how difficult relationships are in my job."

"I'm sure you'll find someone," Steve answered automatically. "You won't be with the Company forever. I'm sure the right guy is out there."

"Oh there is," she breathed softly, an intense glow in her eyes. Then she smiled brightly. "Thank you Steve for the pleasant evening. It was really nice to see you and I appreciate the sight-seeing suggestions," she concluded, touching the paper beside her plate.

"It was nice to catch up," Steve admitted. He signaled for the waitress and reached for his wallet.

"Oh no," Veronica countered and snatched the slip of paper as the waitress set it down. "I invited you to dinner, this is my treat. Don't argue with me," she added when he began to protest.

"Well thank you Veronica, that is very generous of you."

"My pleasure. And Steve…you called me Ronni, Veronica sounds so very formal," she stated s she handed her credit card to the waitress.

"All right Ronni, thanks for dinner," Steve replied with a smile.

When the bill was settled, Steve rose and went to pull out Veronica's chair. She got to her feet and once again linked an arm through his as they exited the restaurant. Once in the lobby she paused and looked up at Steve with a half smile on her lips.

"Will you escort me up?" she asked nodding towards the bank of elevators.

"Sure," Steve agreed, not wishing to appear impolite.

They rode up to the ninth floor, making small talk about which place on the list Veronica should see first. Outside the door to 905, they came to a halt in the empty hallway.

"It was very nice to see you again Ronni. Enjoy your vacation," Steve told her.

"Would you like to come in for a nightcap?" Veronica asked as she stepped in closer before him.

"I really can't. I have work tomorrow," Steve said shaking his head.

Before he could move, Veronica wrapped her arms around his neck and drew his head down into a kiss. Stunned, Steve took hold of her waist and tried to firmly but gently push her away. Veronica tightened her hold on his neck, not allowing him to pull his head away. Not responding to her urgent lips, he reached up to take hold of her wrists and broke her hold on him. With a shake of his head, Steve stepped back and held her at arm's length. She blushed deeply, looking embarrassed by her actions.

"Ronni….I'm sorry but I can't," he said firmly.

"I'm so sorry Steve. I guess I can't handle my wine, I got carried away," she mumbled and dropped her eyes to the floor. She looked back up at him with a tremulous smile. "And you are just too handsome for your own good. What's a girl to do?" With a nervous little laugh, she took a couple steps away towards the room door. "I'm sorry Steve."

"Forget it Ronni," Steve said anxious to leave. "No harm done. Enjoy the rest of your visit on Oahu."

"Thanks I will," she said watching him walk away. Taking out her keycard, Veronica paused and leaned against the door watching him waiting for the elevator. "I think this is more than a visit," she said under her breath as Steve stepped into the car. "I think I've come home."

*H 5-0*

The next morning Danny entered 5-0 headquarters and smiled in delight to see Steve was sitting in his office. With a quick hello to Kono and Chin who were by the smart table, he made a beeline straight to Steve's office, rubbing his hands together.

"Now what do you suppose that's all about?" Kono wondered looking at Chin.

"I have no idea. With those two it could be anything," Chin chuckled. "Maybe Steve didn't remember to gas up the Camaro and Danny has figured out a way to make him pay up."

"I'm not so sure Cuz, but Danny sure is eager to see Steve," Kono laughed.

Inside Steve's office, Danny halted in front of the desk and crossed his arms over his chest.

"So how was the reunion babe? Did you two share deep, dark classified secrets?" Danny began curiously.

"Very funny," Steve growled, unable to hide the uncomfortable look that flashed across his face.

"So the dinner didn't go well?" Danny asked quietly, feeling sorry he had been so flip about things.

"Veronica knew about Jenna and what went down in North Korea," Steve said in a subdued voice.

"Holy….whoa, she is CIA, right? Then it's not out of the realm of possibility that she would know Jenna," Danny said thoughtfully.

"Jenna called her a month before we went to Korea asking about information on her fiancé Josh. Veronica says that Jenna never mentioned being in Hawaii or knowing me. After the rescue in Korea, Ronni got the details about Wo Fat and me," Steve filled him in.

"Ronni?" Danny asked with raised eyebrows.

"Drop it Danno," Steve said shortly.

"It seems that Ronni knows an awful lot about your life babe," the shorter man observed.

"I know," Steve sighed. "First she was asking for sight-seeing suggestions and then she was expressing her opinion on Denning's rules and my ties to Wo Fat. It was like talking to two different people," he added.

"Sounds like CIA to me," Danny said sitting down. "How long is she staying here?"

Steve looked blank for a minute and shook his head.

"I forgot to ask. I have no plans to see her again."

"Good luck with that my friend. I'm willing to bet Ms CIA Langston will make a point of crossing your path again Steven," Danny proclaimed.

"Not what I wanted to hear Danny," Steve groused.

He looked up at the main room suddenly and saw Chin on the phone and Kono activating the smart table.

"Something's up Danny," Steve announced and both men got to their feet and hurried out to the main room. "What's happening?" he asked as he stopped beside Kono. There was a rush of relief to have something else to focus on and to put Veronica Langston out of his mind.

"Looks like we have a bank robbery with hostages Boss," Kono replied as Steve's own phone rang.

"Yes Governor…..yes we just heard. We will deal with it," he answered.

End chapter.

**All of you who think Veronica is sending mixed signals…..raise your hands. Thank you for reading, please share your thoughts.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I do appreciate having a place to play with the characters.**

**Thank you so much for reading and reviewing the previous chapter.**

Chapter 3

The incident at First National Bank of Oahu was tense when 5-0 arrived on the scene. Three armed men were holding fifteen hostages in the lobby of the bank. They had burst into the lobby with drawn guns and demanded money. Employees who had been in the back offices along with the workers from the other businesses in the upper floors of the building had made their escape out the back fire exits. That set off the alarms and caused the three gunmen into a panic as their poorly planned robbery fell apart. The alarms had automatically put the vault into a lockdown and the only profit from this fiasco was what was in the teller drawers. Arguments broke out among the three and it quickly became a danger that they would take out their tempers on their helpless hostages. Governor Denning had made the decision that 5-0 needed to be in charge.

McGarrett got on the phone in an attempt to negotiate a peaceful end to the situation while Danny coordinated with HPD and SWAT. Chin Ho Kelly was looking over the building's floor plans to see if there was a better way to get into the structure and surprise the thieves. Meanwhile Kono was getting comfortable on the second floor of the building across the street, setting up in a window that gave her a clear shot through the large bank windows. Settling in behind the gun sight, she followed the moves of the one who took Steve's phone call, determining he was the leader of this dysfunctional group.

An hour into the stand-off, Steve's combined methods of threatening and cajoling with attempts to reason with the increasingly anxious head crook, finally managed to arrange the release of ten of the hostages. Police officers quickly herded the group to a safe area as Steve watched the three would-be robbers keep a tighter hold on the remaining five. Their leader, Burnett, realized that they were vulnerable with the large windows and kept a young teller in his grip as he moved constantly around the room. Kono had difficulty getting a clear shot of him as he made the girl his shield.

The second hour wore on and with each contact Steve had with Burnett he could hear the other two shouting orders at the man, plainly becoming more nervous with each passing minute. Through the windows you could see angry gestures among the three and it appeared that Burnett was having difficulty keeping order in his ranks.

"Kono, I want you to take a shot if you get a chance," Steve ordered through his communications link. "I don't think we can keep a lid on their tempers much longer."

"Right Boss," Kono answered.

Ten minutes later the opportunity presented her with a clean shot without harming the young girl. The other two gunmen cowered in fear and surrendered within minutes. Neither man had wanted this to go on as long as it did and they came out with hands in the air, shouting for no one to shoot.

In the cleanup after the two men had been taken away by HPD, everyone gathered in front of the building. Steve went to Kono and gave her a quick hug and praised her shot before moving over to speak with the SWAT commander. Looking around as he finished speaking to the man, he spotted a familiar figure talking to Duke Lukela several yards away. As he stared, Veronica Langston met his gaze and smiled slightly before saying something to Duke and disappearing in the crowd that had gathered to watch. Quickly Steve excused himself and headed towards Duke with Danny tagging along.

"Duke, who was the woman you were just speaking to?" Steve asked, needing to know what Veronica had been doing there.

"The lady said she was from the Governor's office," Duke answered a bit surprised at McGarrett's question. "She had the proper ID."

"The Governor has someone checking up on us?" Danny inquired. "Who?"

"A Veronica Langston," Duke replied.

Danny's gaze quickly flew to Steve's stony face. It didn't take a detective to recognize the simmering emotions that filled his partner's eyes. Holding his tongue for once, Danny said nothing not wanting to discuss any of this in front of the sergeant.

"What did she want to know?" Steve asked Lukela.

"She wanted to know if there was any problem with 5-0 working with HPD and SWAT. I told her that it was a good working relationship. She asked if I thought that you were handling the situation properly and I told her yes. Is there a problem Commander?" Duke related in bewilderment.

"No…no problem, I was just curious," Steve assured Duke. "Thanks for the good word." He moved away with Danny following him until they were out of hearing of anyone.

"So Ms CIA is now posing as a member of Denning's staff?" Danny began, his hands waving. "This is beginning to sound fishy."

"I know," Steve muttered. "I have no idea what she is up to."

"So what do you plan to do about it? I told you that you hadn't seen the last of her."

McGarrett shook his head and tried to massage the tension out of the back of his neck.

"For now I am going to wrap up this situation and write my report. Then I guess I'll have to contact her," he said in annoyance.

"Hey Steve, is everything okay?" Chin asked as he and Kono joined them. He could read the tenseness in McGarrett's posture.

"Yea," Steve said shortly.

"I think you need to share with the class Steven. If Veronica Langston is posing as a member of the Governor's staff today, who know what her next move will be," Danny said bluntly.

"Who is Veronica Langston and why would she pose as a member of Denning's staff?" Kono asked.

Danny stared pointedly at Steve, his expression clearly saying he would fill in the blanks if Steve refused to.

"An old acquaintance is in Honolulu and we went to dinner last night. I just saw her talking to Duke and he said she claimed to be working for Denning," Steve explained reluctantly.

"You are neglecting to mention that she is employed by the CIA," Danny prompted. "And she knows all about our trip to North Korea."

Steve winced at Danny's words, not liking how it sounded when spoken out loud.

"CIA? And now she is posing as one of Denning's staff? Just how well do you know her?" Chin enquired with raised eyebrows.

"I met her on a mission, five years ago. My team had to extract her and her partner from an op gone wrong," Steve answered.

"And there is more to this story than you are saying," Kono said intuitively.

"Oh there is," Danny grinned.

"Thought so," Kono smirked. "You mixed business with pleasure, didn't you Boss?"

"It was ONE night," Steve said through clenched teeth. "I haven't seen her in five years and we never intended to meet again. That is it."

"No need to say more," Chin said calmly and shot a stern look at his cousin and Danny. "But it is curious that she is here now. Could she be on an assignment? It would fit that the CIA would use someone you know to throw you off. They wouldn't tell us they were here," he suggested.

"I thought that the CIA was only involved in foreign affairs. Isn't domestic business on US soil the FBI's department?" Kono asked.

"Wo Fat is not a US citizen," Danny reminded them. "And who do we know that has a very real connection to that creep?" He looked around the group.

"Well that would explain why they chose someone you knew. She would have a reason to get close to you, hope to get you to open up and share what you know," Chin agreed.

"I hadn't thought of that," Steve admitted.

"I think it makes perfect sense," Danny put in. "And it sure would explain her turning up here out of the blue. Maybe you should call her and do a little fishing of your own," he added.

Looking at the faces of his team, Steve nodded wearily. This was the last thing he wanted to do but there was no other option.

"I'll handle it," he told them.

*H 5-0*

It was mid-afternoon before Steve finished the written report and made a call to Gov. Denning's office to brief him. He made no mention of Veronica's little charade and the Governor was happy with the final results of the operation. Hearing that none of the hostages were harmed and the only victims were the head crook and a plate glass window pleased the Governor. Hanging up the phone, Steve looked around the office and knew he could not put off calling Veronica no matter how much he hated the idea.

It would have pleased him to pretend she had never shown up on Oahu but that wasn't the case and if she was working on a mission then he needed to know. Placing the call to the hotel, he asked for room 905, not sure if he would find her in the room. But then it occurred to him that from the smile she had sent his way when he saw her, she would be expecting his call and on the third ring she answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Veronica, it is Steve. May I ask why you presented yourself as a member of Gov. Denning's staff to Sgt. Lukela?" he said getting right to the point.

"Goodness Steve, you dive right in, don't you?" she laughed, not at all surprised by the question.

"Just answer the question. What kind of game are you playing?"

"No games. I saw the crowd and I was curious. Your sergeant is confused, I never said I was on the Governor's staff," she denied.

"He wasn't mistaken. Why are you really in Hawaii Veronica?"

"I told you I am on vacation. I am not lying to you Steve," Veronica said, a hurt tone creeping into her voice.

"Am I part of an investigation? Are you and your bosses trying to get to Wo Fat through me? I do not appreciate being used," Steve said tersely.

"I am not working a job Steve," Veronica answered. "None of my bosses have indicated that they are interested in using you to get to Wo Fat. I am telling you the truth," she replied patiently. Her words rang true and Steve began to believe her, at least about the investigation.

"Okay then, but from now on I think you should enjoy your vacation and steer clear of crime scenes," he advised. "And if anyone even suggests going through me to get to Wo Fat, tell them to forget it. I have a personal interest in dealing with that man. Please finish your vacation and have some fun."

"Of course Steve," Veronica replied. Anger sparked in her eyes as the connection broke off. "I will not let you brush me off Steve McGarrett." She grabbed her purse and left the room.

End chapter.

**So Veronica has her own agenda and we have to see what she does next. Thanks for reading, I love your feedback.**Ha


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I am excited to see what the true owners have in store for us in season 3.**

**Thanks to all who have read and reviewed. Your comments keep me posting.**

Chapter 4

As the sun headed lower in the western sky, Steve parked his truck in front of the garage and got out, grateful that this day was over. All he wanted was to change clothes, hit the water for a swim and then grab a beer and eat whatever was left over in his fridge. He did not want to think about stupid bank robbers or a five year old one night stand that refused to stay in the past. He considered calling Catherine just to hear the sound of her voice but he really didn't want to explain why he was calling.

Entering by the front door, he turned to disarm his alarm and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Something wasn't right and he immediately drew his weapon and scanned the room. Listening closely for any foreign sounds, he finished disarming his alarm and began to search the lower level of his home for signs of an intruder. Moving deeper into the house, Steve concluded that whoever had been here was now long gone but the evidence of his or her presence was there for him to see. Photos had been handled and not returned to their proper places, papers lay scattered on the desk that had been empty that morning and the desk chair was pushed back from its proper position.

With a growing sense of dread, McGarrett bounded up the stairs and hurried to his bedroom, his weapon still held ready. Slowing, he cautiously approached his open door and looked inside. The feeling of dread that had begun downstairs now magnified as he took in the scene before him. Several of his T-shirts lay in a heap on the bed and his closet door stood wide open with several shirts hanging askew on the hangers. There was a depression on the bed where someone had obviously laid down, leaving a dent in the pillow. But what he saw on the top of the dresser caused a shiver to run down his spine and he quickly moved across the room to check it out.

A silver picture frame was face down, surrounded by small bits of paper that looked like confetti across the dresser's surface. He holstered his gun and carefully gathered the remains of what had been his favorite photograph of Catherine Rollins.

Quickly he pulled out his phone and called HPD.

"This is Steve McGarrett of 5-0. There has been a break-in at my home. I need a crime scene unit here to dust for prints as quickly as possible," he instructed, not bothering to give his address. It was a sad fact that HPD was well aware of his address from the many times they had to respond to trouble.

His next call was to Danny.

"Hey Danny, my house has been broken into. I've got HPD on the way but I could use you, Chin and Kono here as well. I have a pretty good idea who is behind this," he told his partner.

"I hate to say I told you so but I did," Danny responded all ready making an assumption as to who broke in. "And I'm guessing you searched the house without backup, didn't you?"

"The intruder was long gone. Just get over here," Steve sighed, not in the mood to debate the issue at the moment.

"Okay, be there soon," Danny told him and broke the connection. He called Chin who agreed to call Kono. Danny drove as quickly as possible to Steve's house.

HPD had beaten him there and were dusting the downstairs for prints on the desk when Danny walked inside. They told him that McGarrett was upstairs and he headed to the second floor. Poking his head in the door, he discovered Steve sitting in a chair in the corner, fingering bits of paper and staring at the wall.

"Hey man, what happened here?" Danny asked as he stepped inside and observed the mess he knew wasn't Steve's doing. The empty picture frame on the dresser gave him a clue as to what the paper scraps had once been. The angry set to Steve's jaw told Danny his partner was very close to snapping.

"Veronica broke into my house," Steve said looking at him finally.

"And you are sure it is her?" he questioned sure that Steve was right but playing devil's advocate.

Steve held out his hand so that Danny could see the larger scraps of paper resting there. Danny came closer and could make out dark hair on one and what appeared to be lips on another.

"Who else could by-pass my alarm system, take nothing of value and destroy a picture of Catherine?" Steve asked quietly. "It could only be her."

"Let's not jump to hasty conclusions babe," Danny cautioned. He was confused as to the motive would be for this action. Catherine had nothing to do with Wo Fat. "Why would she tear up a photo of Catherine?"

"Because last night when I escorted her back to her room, she invited me in for a nightcap. When I declined, she wrapped her arms around me and kissed me," Steve confessed.

"Whoa….now there's a detail you didn't share earlier," Danny exclaimed.

Steve frowned at him and shook his head.

"You didn't need to know."

"Don't say it's classified. It looks like I need to know now," Danny pointed out. "This is not the actions of an old friend just stopping by to say hi. That is some serious destruction you are holding in your hand," he added pointing to the bits of paper Steve held.

"I have never been so relieved to know that Catherine is half a world away at present," McGarrett said reflectively. "At least I know that Veronica can't touch her."

"Did you call Veronica about today?"

Steve nodded.

"Then I think it is time you find out what this woman has been doing these last five years. You do have contacts in the CIA from your Naval Intelligence days, don't you?" Danny asked, all ready knowing the answer.

Steve nodded in confirmation. It had been one of those contacts who had supplied him with the information on Jenna Kaye last year.

"Then make the call. I believe your past is presently trying to become part of your future. This is not a good thing Steven," Danny admonished.

"Hey Boss, CSU wants to check for prints up here," Kono announced as she and Chin entered the room. "They are coming up empty downstairs."

"Your intruder wore gloves," Chin added.

"I'm sure she did," Danny muttered.

"And even if she didn't, it isn't likely that hers would be on file," Steve stated. "At least not under her real name."

"She?" Chin questioned. "Are we talking about Veronica Langston? Do you think she did this?"

Steve nodded, rising to his feet. He carefully set the photo bits back on the dresser next to the frame.

"I'll tell the CSU to go home. I'll file a report tomorrow," he told them and left the room. Chin and Kono looked at Danny for an explanation.

"Was that a photo of Catherine?" Chin guessed as he indicated the small pile of paper on the dresser.

"Yep. I'm willing to bet she came here right after Steve called her today about showing up at the hostage situation," Danny answered.

Kono was studying the indentation on the bed, the shirts in the closet and the others lying in a pile on the end of the bed.

"This has nothing to do with Wo Fat," she announced. "This has more of a jealous woman stalker feel to it. She tried on his shirts," she said indicating one T-shirt that was inside out. "She lay down on his bed."

"Steve just told me she kissed him last night, tried to get him to go into her room," Danny filled them in. "I'm getting the impression she doesn't like being told no."

"This could be uglier than the CIA investigating Steve or using him for insight to finding Wo Fat. Veronica could be a loose cannon," Chin said, once again looking at the destruction of Catherine's photo. "An angry woman who doesn't take no for an answer, could turn on the object of her desire if he doesn't reciprocate the feelings."

"And it only gets worse when said woman is CIA trained," Danny muttered.

"Delusional can equal dangerous," Kono observed. "We need to find her before she does anything more."

"Oh we definitely need to do that," Danny agreed. "Let's go see if Steve needs any assistance in getting background on Ms Langston. He is going to contact someone he knows at the CIA."

The three hurried downstairs and discovered that Steve had just sent the crime scene unit out the door after promising to file a full report. He turned to look at his team who lined up before him with determined looks on their faces.

"They found nothing down here. The intruder was a pro," he said confirming what they all ready knew.

"Boss, we agree Veronica is probably your intruder but she is not getting close to you to pump you about Wo Fat," Kono said taking the lead on telling him the theory they had come to upstairs. "We think her interest is of a more personal nature."

The two men waited for Steve to scoff at the idea and dismiss it as a misguided theory but he didn't. Slowly Steve massaged the bridge of his nose and nodded.

"I have come to that same conclusion," he admitted uncomfortably. "I don't know what is going through Veronica's head but this doesn't make sense any other way. She has made this very personal."

"Then I suggest you gather all the information you can on Ms-I-want-Steve McGarrett-to myself that you can, before we confront her. She is not your run of the mill stalker," Danny said firmly.

"When you are right, you are right," Steve agreed as he pulled out his phone and searched his contact list. "Let's hope my guy doesn't mind being disturbed so late or should I say so early," he added glancing at the clock on the wall. "I really hate to burn my bridges with him." He pressed the numbers and waited for his contact to answer.

End chapter.

**So now we have a better idea of what Veronica wants. What do you think Steve is going to learn? Thanks for reading and I hope you share your thoughts.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I wish I did but for now I will satisfy my desire by just writing about it.**

**Thanks for reading. I have a busy Monday ahead so I decided to post earlier than planned.**

Chapter 5

Steve paced as the phone rang and the others made themselves comfortable while they waited. On the fifth ring the phone was finally answered.

"Damn it McGarrett, do you have any idea what time it is?" an irate vice growled.

"I do Ted and I apologize. I have a situation here with one of your people and I need information. This is official business buddy," Steve explained.

"With one of my people? You do realize Steve that I can't keep giving you files on our operatives just because you ask nice. This damn well better be official. I took some heat for the whole Jenna Kaye business, especially after your little stunt in Korea," Ted complained.

"This is an official request from the 5-0 task force. We had one of your operatives pose as a member of the Governor's staff today," Steve answered.

"Just who are we talking about? How do you know that it's one of ours?" Ted asked as Steve could hear the ping of a computer being logged into.

"Veronica Langston."

There was a long pause and Steve felt his stomach roll in concern. Finally he could hear Ted let out a low groan.

"Are you telling me that Veronica Langston is in Hawaii right now?" the CIA man asked.

"Yes. She showed up yesterday in my office, supposedly to say hi. We had dinner last night and then today she was at a crime scene posing as a member of Gov. Denning's staff and checking on 5-0s work. What do I need to know about her Ted? What is she up too?" Steve demanded.

"Veronica Langston is no longer an active operative of the Agency. Four and a half months ago she was on a job that went very, very wrong. Her partner was killed in front of her and we lost two others getting her out of the situation. She had a breakdown and voluntarily committed herself to treatment in one of our clinics. Two weeks ago she checked herself out against her doctor's advice. I am aware of this because I just finished processing the report for the director," Ted replied.

"And no one stopped her? She is here claiming she is on vacation," Steve said in irritation.

"It was a voluntary commitment…she had the right to leave whenever she wanted to go. I have no idea why she is in Hawaii or why she looked you up," Ted responded. "Why do you think she is trouble?"

"I called her out on the charade at the crime scene and when I got home I found my house broken into. It had to be a pro that broke in, the alarm was never tripped and only personal stuff was tampered with," Steve informed him.

"So you assume this was done by Veronica? Just what do you want from me Steve?" Ted said grumpily.

"I want her medical file or the name of her doctor. I am positive that Veronica was the one who broke in."

"I can't give you her medical files or the file on the blown op. You know that Steve," Ted protested.

"Then give me her doctor's name and let him decide what he will tell me," Steve growled. "If she is a loose cannon then I need to know the details. She is here on my island Ted, I can't have a rogue agent running around."

"All right…..all right," Ted fussed. "Hang on." Steve could hear the click of the keyboard and then his friend spoke again. "His name is Dr. Christopher Stewart. He works at the Ryder/Bartlett Clinic just outside D. C. But I can tell you that he isn't going to talk to you, he is an employee of the Agency," Ted warned.

"Okay, Dr. Christopher Stewart….got it," Steve repeated as he signaled to Kono to check it out. "Thanks man, I appreciate this. I've got the feeling that she is a bomb waiting to explode and I have friends who may get caught in the crosshairs. I need to know just how unstable she is."

"No problem," Ted muttered. "Good luck, you owe me buddy. Try and lose my phone number…."he added with a sigh. He hung up and McGarrett looked at the others. Kono was searching her iPad for the numbers as Danny and Chin looked on.

"And just what did we learn babe? So Ms CIA is not playing with a full deck? Why am I not surprised?" Danny said.

"She had a breakdown after an ugly blown op. She lost her partner and she voluntarily checked herself into a clinic. Because of that she could check herself out. I need to know more about her condition," Steve said in agitation.

"Her doctor is unlikely to break the doctor/patient privilege," Chin pointed out.

"I don't need all the details, just an opinion on whether she is dangerous," Steve insisted.

"I'm married to a doctor Steve. You may have to get a court order to make this doctor talk to you. And I'm afraid that just your belief that she broke in here is not going to be enough to convince a judge," Chin tried to reason with his boss.

"I can only try," Steve said stubbornly. He glanced at Kono as she let out a happy cry. "Any luck?"

"Yes, here he is," Kono said as she held out the pad and showed Steve the name and phone numbers listed below it.

"Thank you Kono," Steve said in relief. He took the pad from her and quickly dialed the home phone of the doctor. Chin and Danny exchanged skeptical looks as Steve waited for a response. The phone was answered on the second ring by a tired, annoyed voice.

"This is Dr. Stewart, is this an emergency?"

"Dr. Stewart, this is Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett of the 5-0 task force in Hawaii. And yes, I do believe this is an emergency," Steve said gravely. "I need information on a patient of yours….a Veronica Langston." He clicked the phone onto speaker so the others could hear what was said. "This is important Doctor; she is here in Hawaii and has been behaving strangely. The Agency gave me your name and I really need your help."

"I'm sorry Commander, I can't…wait, did you say your name is McGarrett?" the doctor's voice became eager. "Are you a Navy SEAL?"

"I was I now head the Governor's special task force. How do you know I was a SEAL?" Steve asked in confusion.

"In the last few weeks of her therapy Veronica spoke of you often. You said she is in Hawaii? Is she continuing her treatment out there?" Stewart asked. "I had hoped to include you in her therapy because of your close relationship but she said you were deployed and couldn't be reached. Has she come out there to be with you?"

"Uh…..Dr. Stewart, I have no idea why Veronica would tell you we were involved. I knew her briefly five years ago. Until yesterday I had not spoken to her since the one mission we shared," Steve told him, not wanting to admit to more at this moment.

"I see….so you two are not a couple. I had hoped she was improving," Stewart replied, disappointment in his voice.

Chin, Danny and Kono exchanged looks that confirmed their theory was correct. It was clear that Veronica had concocted a connection to Steve in her mind and convinced the doctor that it was truth. The look on Steve's face showed that he had reached the same conclusion.

"Doctor, I need to know just how unstable Veronica is. Since arriving on Oahu she has invited me out to dinner and then showed up at a robbery scene and posed as a member of our Governor's staff using a false ID. Tonight my home was broken into and a photo of my girlfriend was destroyed. Given that Veronica is CIA trained, I have to know if she is a danger to herself or others," Steve said firmly.

There was a long stretch of silence on the other end and Steve feared that he had lost the doctor's cooperation. Finally the doctor's tired voice spoke.

"Commander McGarrett, I am sorry but I cannot discuss the nature of Veronica's treatment. I would like to help but I just can't," he said. "When I heard your name and you said Veronica was in Hawaii, I assumed that she had joined you and was seeking treatment out there. I said more than I should have," the doctor said trying to cover for what was all ready revealed.

"Listen Doctor, I do not need to know all the details, I just need to know if she is dangerous. If you know anything that can help me defuse the situation that seems to be escalating here, I would appreciate knowing how to handle her," Steve pleaded, anxious to make Stewart understand how serious this was.

More silence greeted him before a sigh was finally heard.

"Commander McGarrett, I can tell you this…Veronica left before I felt she was ready to stop treatment. She appeared to be much improved from when she first checked in. From what you have said I can only assume she had fooled me and she has fixated on you for some reason. If you can…..I would advise you to try and convince her to seek further therapy…..or better yet, return to my clinic," Stewart advised.

"And if she won't?" Steve asked.

"It is possible she will not react well to rejection," the doctor admitted. "I would suggest you handle her very carefully."

"Thank you Doctor, I will try," Steve sighed.

"I wish I could be of more help. Good luck Commander," Stewart said and hung up.

"Well this doesn't look good," Steve muttered looking at his team.

"You had better bring this woman in quickly Steven. Who knows what she'll do next," Danny stated.

"I can't believe she told the doctor we were involved after all these years," Steve mused.

"Mr. Irresistible," Danny quipped.

"Something on that blown op made her remember you and created a new reality in her head," Kono reflected.

"I'll find out," Steve said dialing the Hilton. At his request to be connected to Veronica's room, he was informed she had checked out and left no forwarding address. He disconnected with frustration written all over his face.

"She checked out."

Chin glanced at the clock and sighed.

"So do we go to headquarters and start searching? I'll call Malia," he said.

"No," Steve said decisively. "So far she hasn't hurt anyone and her focus is on me. Let's get a good night's sleep and begin in the morning. I am positive that she has not left Honolulu. We have time to find her."

End chapter.

**So there you go….we now know a bit more about why Veronica is behaving the way she is. Thank you for reading. I will be back next Monday with another chapter. I hope I see you then. **HHa


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I do enjoy taking their characters out for some fun every now and then.**

**Another Monday so here is the next chapter in my story. Thanks for reading.**

Chapter 6

Danny and Chin arrived at 5-0 headquarters at the same time the next morning. It was just before 8 A.M. as they passed through the glass doors where they discovered that Steve was all ready hunched over the smart table. Frustration was evident in his posture and on his face.

"Hey Steve, any luck in locating her?" Chin asked as he came to a stop beside McGarrett.

"No, she has managed to vanish. No hotel has had a Veronica Langston or anyone matching her description check in last night. I'm expanding the search beyond the city limits and then I will have to look into rentals," Steve answered with a sigh.

"Where's Kono? She's faster than you are with this table," Danny observed.

"She's not in yet," Steve responded and then looked at his watch with a frown.

"That's not like her," Chin said knowing that Kono almost always beat him into the office.

"When did you get here?" Danny asked Steve curiously.

"Six," Steve said absently as he glanced over at Kono's empty office.

"More likely five," Danny muttered as Chin hit speed dial on his phone. He didn't like the feeling he was getting about Kono's absence.

"Hello…." Kono's voice answered in a subdued tone on the fifth ring.

"Hey Cuz…are you playing hooky? We could use your help in our search," Chin said slowly, not sure what to make of the way she answered the phone.

"Lt. Kelly, put Steve on the phone," a new voice instructed. "I know you are at the office."

Chin followed instructions, switching the phone to speaker as he handed the phone to a confused McGarrett.

"This is McGarrett," Steve indentified himself. He was puzzled by the look on Chin's face. The man had become very concerned.

"Steven, I'm very disappointed in you," Veronica's voice spoke up from the small instrument. Danny perked up at hearing her and Steve felt a tingle of dread go down his spine. The reason for Chin's concern was now clear.

"Veronica, what are you doing with Kono?" Steve demanded. He didn't like the image that was forming in his head.

"I'm just getting to know her better. I must say that I'm surprised that you would play around with an underling, although she is pretty…in a native way," Veronica said snidely. The strain in her voice echoed in the room.

"Veronica, Kono is a member of my team, we are not involved in any other way," Steve responded, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Ronni….you always called me Ronni," the voice insisted as it rose in anger. "And I know you are lying to me."

"Listen Ronni, I'm not lying to you," Steve said intently. He exchanged helpless looks with Danny and Chin. "I swear Kono is a coworker, nothing more. She is not my girlfriend."

A bitter laugh could be heard from the speaker.

"Of course she isn't your girlfriend. Catherine Rollins is your girlfriend, isn't she? Does she know that you play around behind her back? How could you do this to us Steve?" Veronica cried. They could all tell that she was on the edge, her voice quivering.

"Calm down Ronni," Steve said quietly. "I promise you that I am not lying. This is all some mistake. Where are you Ronni…..let me come talk to you."

Chin had been busy tracking the GPS for Kono's phone and he pointed to the map on the table indicating that the women were at Kono's house. Steve nodded as he saw the location.

"Ronni, we need to talk. Tell me where you are," he said as Chin hurried off to his office to call HPD.

"I want to believe you Steve but I know what I saw. If we are going to make our life together work, we cannot have these female distractions," Veronica said in a calmer voice.

"What do want me to do Ronni?" Steve asked, looking at Danny and shrugging. The shorter man gestured for him to keep talking.

"I want you to fire Kono."

"I….uh….okay Ronni," Steve said rolling his eyes. "Tell me where you are."

"I know you have traced the phone and you know exactly where we are Steven. Don't play games with me," Veronica said sharply.

"All right," Steve said trying to remain calm. "Then I am coming over there. We can talk this out."

Danny watched the conversation anxiously, knowing there was nothing he could do to help. He could see the stress in Steve's face and didn't envy his friend.

"Yes, we can talk after you fire Kono. I want you to show me that you mean what you say. And leave Williams and Kelly at the office, I want to talk to you alone. Do you understand?" Veronica ordered.

"I understand," Steve agreed. He jerked his head towards Chin's office, indicating that Danny should let him know what was happening. Danny nodded and headed for Chin.

"Don't hurt Kono. Let me talk to her," Steve requested quietly. He waited, hoping that it wasn't the wrong thing to say.

"Hey Boss," Kono's voice came quietly from the phone.

"Are you okay?"

"Yea, just tied up at the moment," Kono said carefully.

"I'm sorry…" Steve didn't get any further as Veronica spoke again.

"That's enough Steven," she snarled. "You are not making me feel better about this. Get over here and prove to me that you are finished with her or I will deal with her myself."

"Don't do anything rash Veronica," Steve cautioned. "We can't be together if you are arrested for harming a cop." He desperately hoped he could reason with Veronica and keep her calm until he could get to Kono's house. "I'm coming over and I am coming alone."

Danny and Chin had returned to the room and were listening closely to the exchange. After a few tense moments Veronica spoke again.

"Okay Steve, I am waiting." The phone went dead.

"I have HPD standing by. How do we handle this?" Chin asked. He was itching to head over to the house.

"I'm going alone."

"No! No, you do not go face psycho woman alone," Danny exploded. "Not with Kono a helpless hostage."

"I will get Kono out of there before I subdue Veronica," Steve answered, his gaze locked on Chin. "If she sees either of you before I get in the house, then she will hurt Kono."

"We will stay out of sight along with HPD but we are coming along," Chin said firmly. "You will need backup Steve and you know it."

"Yea…..what he said," Danny added emphatically.

"Okay, but you have to stay out of sight. Veronica is not a fool, she will expect you to come and she is obviously on the edge," Steve agreed. "I've got to go…she isn't going to stay calm long."

With determined strides he headed out of the room as Danny and Chin scrambled to keep up.

*H 5-0*

Kono sat in the middle of her living room in a straight backed chair, her arms behind her stuck through the slats with her wrists cuffed. Her ankles were secured to the front chair legs with zip ties that Veronica had found in a drawer. With a wary eye, Kono watched the Langston woman pace the room as she clutched a gun in her left hand. The blonde CIA agent was in a highly agitated state and close to losing control.

Last night when Kono had returned from McGarrett's she was surprised by Veronica who had hidden behind her door. She had knocked Kono out and when the woman regained consciousness she was bound to the chair and Veronica was sitting on her couch. After several uncomfortable moments of silence, Veronica finally informed Kono that she would not tolerate women trying to steal her man.

Kono tried to explain that things were not like that with Steve but Veronica was not ready to hear that and she sprang at the captive woman and slapped her several times. Biting her lower lip, Kono kept silent after that as Veronica began pacing the room. The night had passed with neither woman talking much, Veronica operating on caffeine and anger. Kono tried to keep still and do nothing to set the volatile woman off.

When the time for Kono to show up at 5-0 had passed, Veronica picked up Kono's phone from a side table and waited expectantly for it to ring. It wasn't long when it rang as Kono knew it would and a satisfied smile spread over Veronica's face. The conversation surprised Kono as she listened to Veronica demand that Steve fire her to prove his devotion. When the call ended, Veronica tossed the phone aside and leaned down to stare into Kono's face.

"You thought that you and Steve could fool me, didn't you?" she demanded.

"I don't know what you mean," Kono protested.

"I saw his arm around you," Langston hissed, pressing the muzzle of the gun against Kono's forehead.

"What?"

"At the bank, he had his hands all over you,"

Kono hesitated and then remembered the quick hug that Steve had given her when he praised her shooting at the hostage situation. Veronica had blown that small gesture up into an affair.

"Veronica, Steve is not interested in me that way," Kono tried to explain. "We are friends, teammates. I am just one of the guys to him."

For a moment she feared that she said the wrong thing as Veronica's eyes bored into hers. The muzzle of the gun pressed a bit deeper into her forehead and then Veronica backed off a bit.

"One of the guys? I doubt that sweetie," she said stroking the gun barrel along Kono's jaw. "And I suppose that Steve sees Catherine as just "one of the guys" as well. I am not that stupid Kono."

Kono turned her head away from the weapon, watching Veronica warily from the corner of her eye. She had no answer to how Steve felt about Catherine. She knew that Rollins was special to the boss but he didn't openly declare his feelings about her to the team. Trying to argue things with Veronica did not appear to be a healthy option at the moment. If Langston was ready to step over the edge, Kono was not going to give her a reason to take her along on the fall.

End chapter.

**We have a sticky situation here. Steve needs to be very careful how he handles Veronica, she doesn't appear to be willing to listen to reason. Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. However I wish I did, so that has to count for something, right?**

**Thank you all who have reviewed. For those who review anonymously, I am sorry that I cannot respond to your reviews personally. This is ending in the next chapter, thank you for reading. I have to work Monday so this is being posted earlier than usual.**

Chapter 7

Steve's truck slammed to a halt at the curb in front of Kono's house. He sat there for a moment, observing the small home and wondering just how he was going to handle this mess. Danny and Chin had parked a couple of blocks away and were undoubtedly making their way closer to keep eyes on the situation. HPD also had two cars nearby, waiting for word to move in if needed. Knowing that Veronica would check for an earpiece, Steve decided not to even try to bring a communication device with him.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly in frustration, feeling out of his element when dealing with an unstable woman. Kono was depending on him to get her safely out of this mess and he knew he couldn't make a wrong move. Veronica had created a fantasy in her head that they were a couple and he would have to play on that if he was to subdue her without anyone getting hurt. Leaving the truck, he made it halfway to the house when the door opened cautiously. Veronica stood there with a gun leveled at him.

"Steven, please leave your gun outside," she instructed.

"Are you threatened by me Ronni?" he asked quietly as his hand crept to his weapon.

She frowned at him and he held his arms out to his side, showing that they were empty.

"No, but a girl can't be too careful. Until I'm sure you aren't lying to me I would prefer to be the only one armed," Veronica said cautiously. "I'm not convinced you aren't involved with Ms Kalakaua so for the time being I will call the shots. Please leave your gun outside."

"All right," Steve agreed and carefully removed his gun from his holster and placed it in the grass at his feet. Straightening back up, he smiled at Veronica tensely. "Ronni, please let's just sit down and talk. This is a big misunderstanding."

"You are right, we do need to talk," she agreed. "My trust in you has been shaken and it may take more than words to repair it."

Steve nodded and took a moment to organize his thoughts. An op had gone wrong and her partner killed, he was willing to bet her partner had also been her lover even though that would have been frowned upon by the Agency. Somehow Veronica had blocked that pain out and retreated to the night five years ago when the rescue had been more successful. She was not ready to deal with the present pain and had chosen to think that Steve was the answer to all her troubles.

"How was I supposed to know how you felt about me Ronni….I haven't heard from you in five years?" he said as he slowly closed the space between them. "You are not an easy woman to locate and I had to return to my unit."

Veronica's eyes lit up at his words.

"You tried to find me?" she asked.

Steve nodded, not liking the lies he had to admit to. Appeasing her was making him very uncomfortable but to free Kono, he would play along. The hunger that was burning in her eyes made him wary of pushing her over the edge.

"I couldn't contact you during your deployment. You didn't tell me you left the service," she said, completely forgetting that she previously admitted knowing about his assignment to the Governor's task force.

"Ronni, let's go inside and talk," Steve suggested. "We don't want a nosey neighbor calling HPD, do we?"

"You're right," she agreed as her gaze swept over the surrounding houses. "Come in." She stepped back from the entrance and motioned him inside. As he entered the house, she moved back, away from his reach and never lowering her weapon. "Close the door Steven."

Steve followed her orders and then focused on Kono who was sitting in the middle of the room facing away from the door. She was looking over her shoulder and he could see the relief on her face as he entered the house. He nodded to her and she smiled slightly before breaking eye contact.

"Ronni, let's sit down and straighten things out," he said as Langston hovered out of reach, looking anxious.

"Do what you came here to do first Steve. If you really want me to believe you then sever your relationship with this one," Veronica said pointing to Kono.

Steve moved around the chair to face Kono. His eyes begged for her to understand and play along.

"Kono, Veronica has made me understand that it isn't a good thing to keep you on at 5-0. I'm afraid I'll have to have you transferred back HPD," Steve said reluctantly.

"But we aren't involved that way," Kono said, knowing that Veronica would expect her to protest this move. Any quiet acceptance would make the woman suspicious.

"It's for the best Kono," Steve said, keeping a careful watch on Veronica. Relief flowed through him to know that Kono was aware of how this needed to be played out. So far Veronica seemed to accept his playacting.

"If you insist Boss," Kono said reluctantly. She also kept a watchful eye on the woman from the corner of her eye.

"Okay, that's settled," Steve nodded. "Ronni, let's go now. I can send someone to free Kono later. Let's go to my place." He wanted to get her out of this house and somewhere that he could deal with her and no one would get hurt.

"I don't think so Steve. We haven't settled all our issues yet. Kono doesn't mind if we talk here," Veronica said sharply.

"What other issues?" Steve asked in frustration, worried there was something more he wasn't prepared for. He clenched his fists tightly together and had to will himself to reopen them slowly. A glance at Kono made him notice that she was mouthing the word…."Catherine".

"There is a little matter of Lt. Catherine Rollins," Veronica said pointedly. Her eyes glittered dangerously.

"What about Catherine?" Steve asked. "I've been friends with Catherine for some time now. We worked together in Naval Intelligence. She is stationed halfway around the world Ronni…what has she to do with us?"

"Don't tell me you haven't been sleeping with her," Veronica snarled, waving her gun at him.

Steve exchanged helpless looks with Kono and then he began to move around the chair and headed towards Veronica. He was done playing this game and it was time the charade ended. There was no way to convince Veronica without the bitter taste of lies on his tongue and he was anxious to put an end to the game.

Veronica retreated from his advances not willing to let Steve close, she didn't realize he was moving them a safe distance from where Kono sat. Carefully he plotted where he could make a move to disarm her and make a move to overpower her. Kono craned her neck to watch them.

"Admit it, you're sleeping with her," Veronica demanded for a second time.

"What if I am Ronni? I hadn't seen you in five years. How did I know we'd be together again?" he asked in a low voice.

"You will get rid of her Steven. I'll forgive your mistakes but you have to beak all ties to her," Veronica stated firmly.

"Okay," Steve agreed as he continued to advance slowly on her. "I'll call her, tell her it's over." He held out a hand to her. "Put the gun down Ronni. Stop running away from me." He forced himself to smile at her encouragingly.

Halting in her retreat, Veronica looked at him as hope blossomed in her eyes. Her desire to believe him and be held by him was growing stronger.

"I want to believe you," she said softly as her lower lip trembled. She lowered her gun to her side.

"We can make it work Ronni…..I promise," he said gently. Steve held his breath, willing her to trust him and come closer.

Veronica did move closer, ready to step into his embrace. His outstretched hand was inviting her closer, his eyes kind.

"Tell me you love me," she urged as she reached for his hand.

As the words fell from her lips, she saw his expression shift and the truth hit her. He was lying to her. Quickly she raised the gun towards him as Steve stepped forward to take her hand.

"You are lying to me Steve," she screamed as Steve closed the distance between them and took hold of her gun hand.

In the struggle that ensued, the gun discharged and Steve grunted in pain as he felt the bullet move through his side. He kept his grip on her as he twisted her wrist and forced her to drop the gun. In a smooth move he turned her in his grasp and wrapped his left arm around her throat as she kicked out at his knees, trying to knock him off balance. Bracing himself as best he could, he tightened his grip until he felt her go limp in his arms.

At the sound of the weapon going off, both Danny and Chin charged inside, their weapons ready to take out the enemy.

"Boss, are you okay?" Kono asked straining to see what was going on.

"I'm good," Steve groaned as he lowered an unconscious Veronica to the floor. He went through her pants pockets and found the handcuff key. Looking at Chin he threw it to the man.

"You okay babe?" Danny asked as he got a good look at Steve.

"I'm fine," Steve assured him. "Chin, I will need those cuffs."

After Chin had removed the cuffs from Kono's wrists and released the zip ties from her legs he handed the cuffs to Steve. Securing Veronica's wrists together in front of her, he slowly got to his feet. Both Danny and Chin could see the spreading red stain on his shirt just above the waistband.

"Steven, you're bleeding," Danny said stating the obvious.

"It's just a scratch, a through and through," Steve said downplaying the wound. He pressed his hand to his side and looked a bit paler than he had a moment ago. "I'll be fine."

"And I am running for President," Danny muttered as he stepped forward to catch a suddenly swaying McGarrett. "Easy big guy, you seem to have no concept of what fine is. Someone call for an ambulance," he instructed as he eased Steve down in a nearby chair.

Kono grabbed her phone off the couch and placed the call as Chin radioed the HPD officers to come in and take charge of Veronica. Kono then went to fetch a towel from her kitchen while they waited for the EMTs.

"Veronica needs to see a doctor," Steve insisted through gritted teeth. "She's sick, she doesn't belong in lockup."

"Sure thing Commander," Sgt. Reed responded. He had no desire to argue with the 5-0 task force leader. "Psych ward it is."

Steve accepted the towel from Kono with a grateful smile and pressed it to his side. A low hiss of pain escaped him before he could hide it.

"Well Steven, this is another fine mess you've gotten yourself into. I told you that woman was planning to get into your life. You can't trust the CIA," Danny said bluntly as Steve sagged against the chair back.

End chapter.

**Just one final chapter to wrap this story up. I couldn't resist a bit of Steve whump, although I think he took an emotional hit as well. I really can't hate Veronica too much; after all…..I'm definitely obsessed with Steve Mc Garrett as well. Thank you for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Nope still haven't secured the rights but I do love playing around with it.**

**Here is the final chapter. Thank you all for your reviews and alerts. Guests and anonymous reviewers, I appreciate you too but cannot reply. So accept my thanks here.**

Chapter 8

Danny watched the EMTs load a protesting McGarrett into an ambulance and head for the hospital ER. Then he turned to where Veronica was strapped to a gurney, waiting to be loaded into a second vehicle.

"Go with her Chin," he instructed.

"Sure thing," Kelly agreed and got into the second ambulance to keep guard on the unconscious woman.

"I'm taking Steve's truck," Danny told Kono. "The Camaro is two blocks that way," he added jerking his head to the left and tossing her his keys. "See you there."

Stopping to pick up McGarrett's weapon that had been forgotten in the excitement, Danny went to the Silverado and headed in the direction of the hospital.

A half hour later, Steve emerged from the ER treatment room and joined Danny who was sitting in the waiting room. He was finishing a phone conversation as he stopped beside his partner.

"You're welcome Dr. Stewart and I am glad you will be resuming her treatment. Yes…..yes I think I understand. Thank you sir," he concluded and disconnected.

Danny eyed him curiously.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm going to be," Steve said. "Dr. Stewart is going to arrange for Veronica to be returned to his clinic. Only this time it is an involuntary commitment." He scanned the room, locating the door to the hospital proper. "I need to see Veronica."

"Just how much abuse to you plan to take today Steven?" Danny demanded angrily. "Let the doctors take care of her. She held Kono hostage all night long, forced you to come to her and lie and then she shot you. Take the rest of the day off. She will be here tomorrow."

"You don't understand Danny, she did those things because of me," Steve said, guilt written all over his face.

Throwing up his hands in frustration Danny jumped to his feet and strode a few steps away, then turned back to his friend. He ran his hands through his hair trying to get his emotions under control.

"I hate to break it to you "Mr. Irresistible" but her bad behavior is not your fault. One hookup with her five years ago does not make you responsible for her delusions," he snapped.

"No….but the fact I rescued her five years ago does make me responsible," Steve said quietly. "Dr. Stewart thinks that she fixated on me because we successfully saved her once before." Steve looked tired and sad. "She lost her partner…..her lover and her mind couldn't deal with it. She latched onto the memory of a different result at a different time."

"And how will talking to her help now?" Danny questioned.

"I need to," Steve replied and strode toward the door.

"Why am I not surprised?" Danny groaned and followed him.

Following a maze of corridors, the finally reached the small psychiatric treatment wing. The empty nurse's station was just outside the locked ward and a line of chairs ran along the opposite wall. Two of those chairs were occupied by Chin and Kono.

"Dr. Atkins is with Veronica right now," Chin told them when they stopped in front of them.

"How is she?" Steve asked.

"She regained consciousness during the ride to the hospital and was very confused and disoriented. Once we reached the hospital she became hysterical and needed to be sedated," Chin reported.

"Dr. Atkins interviewed us first and then went in to see her," Kono added.

Steve turned to her with guilt filled eyes. He could see the faint bruises that were beginning to form on her face from where Veronica had struck her.

"Kono…..I am so sorry," he began.

"I'm fine Steve, it's not your fault," Kono quickly reassured him.

"She could have hurt you worse…I should have known," McGarrett argued, reaching out to lightly touch her jaw. "You don't need to wait here, take the rest of the day off. We'll see you tomorrow," he suggested.

"Gee…..I don't know. Does that mean I'm not fired?" Kono grinned with a twinkle in her eye.

"That was just to appease Veronica. You're 5-0 Kono and don't forget it," Steve said, a genuine smile finally creasing his face. "I don't fire ohana."

"That is good to know," Danny chimed in. "I'll have to remember that." He quickly pocketed his phone after checking his text messages.

Steve gave him a quizzical look.

"When have I ever threatened to fire you?"

"It's only a matter of time. I'm going to file this away for future reference. Better yet, can I get that in writing?" Danny enquired with a grin. He was relieved to see that Steve seemed to be letting go of some of the guilt he had been carrying around.

"Shut up Danno," Steve huffed but couldn't quite hide a smile.

Before the conversation could proceed further, a short, stocky man in his fifties emerged from the locked ward. Steve turned to meet him as both Chin and Kono got to their feet. The doctor looked up from the entry he was making on his iPad and nodded curtly. Correctly identifying McGarrett, he directed his comments to Steve.

"Ms Langston has been sedated and is not very responsive at the moment. She has been restrained to prevent injury to herself and I will contact the doctor who was previously treating her before giving her any medications," Dr. Atkins reported.

"That is Dr. Christopher Stewart in D.C. I've spoken to him and he is eager to consult with you. He would like her to be transferred back to his care when it is practical," Steve told him. "Doctor, I would like to see Veronica."

"Officer Kalakaua gave me Dr. Stewart's number and I will call him," Atkins nodded checking his tablet again. He looked up at Steve with a frown and addressed McGarrett's request. "I do not think seeing her is a good idea Commander. She is very confused and I don't want you upsetting her. Let me speak with Dr. Stewart and find the proper medication to treat her with first."

"Doctor, I understand your concerns but my conversation with Dr. Stewart gave me some insight into what may have triggered Veronica's breakdown. Let me just see if I can help her. I promise that I will keep it short and if she gets upset, I'll leave," Steve urged.

"Very well," the doctor gave in after a moment's thought. "I will give you five minutes and I will be watching from the hallway's two way mirror. I warn you I will halt this if I think it is getting out of hand."

"Yes sir," Steve said and followed the doctor through the locked door. Pressing the keypad on Veronica's room, Dr. Atkins motioned for Steve to enter the room.

Quietly stepping inside, Steve moved forward as the door clicked shut behind him. He approached the bed where Veronica lay, her wrists secured to the bedrails with padded straps, her head slightly raised and turned away from him. She looked fragile and pale as she reclined there. The door closing caused her to turn towards him, gazing at him through heavy eyelids.

"Steve…?" she whispered.

"Yes Veronica. Do you know where you are?"

"I….uh…..Hawaii I think. At least I think so," she mumbled groggily. Then her eyes widened as memories became clearer to her. She struggled briefly against the restraints. "Oh God…Steve I shot you."

"It's okay Veronica…I am fine," Steve soothed as he swiftly moved to her side and covered her hand with his. "I'm fine."

Shaking her head and closing her eyes in pain she became still.

"I got Michael killed," she murmured. "No timely SEAL rescue…I failed him." Tears ran down her face from under dark lashes.

"Your op went bad Veronica, it wasn't your fault. Dr. Stewart told me what happened. He wants you back at the clinic to finish your treatment," Steve told her gently. Stewart was much more forthcoming after hearing what had happened in Hawaii.

"He is a good man," Veronica nodded and looked up at Steve.

"Then let him treat you. Go home and get well," he urged.

Numbly Veronica nodded. The sedative was winning the battle and she was falling asleep. The door opened behind Steve and Dr. Atkins stuck his head in.

"That is enough Commander," he spoke up. With a nod, Steve left the room.

"She seems to be lucid now," he commented once he was in the hall.

"At this moment, she is. But she could swing in and out until we have a chance to get her stable. She is going to need a lot of treatment before she is back to normal. As soon as she is stable enough to transport, we will send her back to Stewart's clinic," Atkins replied.

"Thank you Doctor," Steve said as they returned to the nurse's station where his team waited.

"You are welcome Commander. You handled her well. Now may I suggest that you get some rest as well? I know you were shot, do some healing yourself." With a curt nod he headed down the hall to his office.

"See, Doctor's orders Steven. Let's get you home," Danny piped up.

"Careful Danno, I could modify my firing policy," McGarrett smirked. He looked at the others. "Okay, everyone take the rest of the day off. I'll see you in the morning." He moved off down the hall with Danny hurrying to catch up.

"Welcome back to the team Cuz," Chin grinned as he draped on arm over Kono's shoulder. "And we had better move if we are going to pick Danny up at Steve's. There is no way he is letting you keep the Camaro."

*H 5-0*

Danny parked the truck in front of McGarrett's garage and glanced at Steve. His partner had been silent most of the ride back and had not even insisted driving.

"You are home partner," Danny announced. "Chin and Kono should be here any minute with my ride. Do you want company or do you prefer to brood alone?"

"I'm not brooding," Steve protested. "I'm just trying to figure out why I didn't see how troubled Veronica was."

"You were too close to the problem babe," Danny commented as Steve's phone rang. He nodded at Steve. "You might want to take that call Steven."

McGarrett pulled out his phone, saw the caller ID and glared suspiciously at Danny. The blonde detective was smiling smugly.

"How?"

"I called her from the ER, told her to call back in about an hour and a half. All I did was alert her that you had a brief skirmish with a bullet but you were fine. Talk to her you big oaf, you'll feel better."

"Hey Catherine," Steve said following orders. "I'm good, just hold on a second." He turned back to Danny with narrowed eyes.

"You needed a shove," Danny shrugged and slid out of the cab of the truck. Steve followed suit on the other side. "Clear the air with your Lieutenant, trust me secrets are trouble. My ride is here, got to go," he added as he walked around the back of the truck.

"Thanks Danno," Steve called out as Danny jogged down the drive to the Camaro that had pulled in. Bringing the phone back to his ear he spoke, "Hey Cath, it's good to hear your voice. I have some stuff to tell you…"

End story.

**So there you go, all is well that ends well. My muse has been in a feisty mood lately so it looks like there may be a story taking shape. I have learned not to fight with the muse. I need to get it out of my head and onto paper. Thank you so much for reading this one and giving me so much support.**


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